The Cleveland Cavaliers have to make some moves this offseason.
They won’t have much wiggle room or available money to add big-name free agents, and without a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, their best chance to bolster the roster comes through trades.
With that in mind, Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid said that, instead of moving on from Jarrett Allen and/or Darius Garland, the Cavs should look to trade Isaac Okoro instead.
“Shedding Okoro’s salary would not only clear cap space but also give Cleveland crucial flexibility under the second luxury tax apron, an increasingly restrictive benchmark that limits roster-building tools. This type of move isn’t about giving up on Okoro’s future. It’s about preserving the team’s financial health and sustaining contention,” Dammarell wrote.
Okoro is a very good role player, but he failed to live up to expectations.
He’s a solid defender who finally expanded his shooting range, and as a young player and former lottery pick, he should have some trade value.
Executive Koby Altman highlighted the Cavs’ need to add toughness, and while losing one of their best defenders might not be the best route, perhaps they could make the most of the financial flexibility to bring in some enforcers to sharpen the roster around the core four.
Granted, the Cavs might be better off and get more in return by trading either Garland or Allen, who each have a big contract and have struggled in the playoffs.
But if Cleveland continues to double down on its core, it might have no choice but to consider trading Okoro, especially if it wants to re-sign Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome.
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